Mattress and method of making



Jan. 11, 1938. G. OLSON MATTRESS AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed NOV. 6, 1933 Jttarnqy Patented Jan. 11, 1938' MATTRESS AND METHOD OF MAKING Gilbert Olson, Minneapolis, Minn, assignmw Sanitary Mattress Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application November 6, 1933, Serial No. 696,850

l'lCla-lms.

This invention relates to a mattress and method of making the same, and particularly to a mattress of the type comprising a spring structure or spring unit together with suitable padding or stuffing material, such as felt, cotton, hair or the like.

In constructing a mattress it has been the common practice of recent years to form an edge roll,

located substantially at the top and bottom corners of the mattress or at the top and bottom of.

. the side portions thereof. These edge rolls in a great many cases have been formed by placing ties or stitches through the top and sides of the mattress. It is desirable to have the top and bottom of the mattress or the covers for the flat sides of the mattress unbroken. It is, however, at the same time desirable to have the edge roll construction to give the mattress the desired shape.

. It is also an object of the invention to providea very simple and economical mattress and one which has a very pleasing appearance and is very effective for comfort and durability.

' These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the mattress at an intermediate stage;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; 45 Fig. 3 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 2 show- -ing a further step in the making of the mattress;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 4-4 oiFig. 2; v Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section similar to 50 Figs; 2 and 3 showing the completed mattress;

and I Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a partially comtedmattress showing a modification.

both. In the present method of making the mattress the spring unit comprising the parts Ill and ll is placed on a table and the boxing I! placed around said unit, the ends of the boxing (not shown) being sewed together. The boxing I2 is of novel construction and comprises an outer layer of fabric l2a which forms the outer side of the mattress when completed and will be of the desired material for this purpose. In some mattresses this fabric is of various kinds of ticking, while in other mattresses it is made of various grades of damask and other similar material.

A layer of filling or padding, l2b such as cotton, felt, hair or similar filling material used in mattresses, is placed over the layer l2a and a layer of lining material l2c is placed on top of the filling lib opposite the layer l2a. The ends of the lining I20 and the filling l2b are then bent reversely or folded inwardly or outwardly at the inside of layer l2a. Ties such as staples, rivets, stitches, or as shown eyelets l3 are then inserted or placed through the inner side oflining lie, the outer layer I21: and the folded in end portion of layer l2c. As shown there are three rows of Referring to the drawing, a mattress is shown 55 comprising a spring unit containing the coiled eyelets, the center row passing only through the filling, inner layer I20 and the outer layer I211. The outer rows pass through the inner layer l2c, the outer layer I'Za and the folded in edge portion of layer l2c which is in contact with outer layer lIa. Folding the filling lib at the ends of the boxing forms the enlargements or roll portions lid. When the boxing, which is separately formed, has been placed around the spring unit Ill and ll as above described, said boxing is securedto said spring unit by spaced stitches it which extend through the lining layer lie and the covering ll of the spring unit, these stitches,

however, not engaging the springs Hi. When the boxing has been so placed and connected to the spring unit cover, a heavy layer of padding or fillmg I! is placed on top of the spring unit and a layer It of lining material, usually muslin, is placed over the padding It. This lining layer has been previously cut to be of the proper size and after it is placed on padding I! the edges thereof are brought into alinement with the edges of the outer layer l2a of the boxing and the two edges are held together at widely spaced points by suitable quickly operable means such as the spring clips ll. It is not necessary to use many of the clips l1, these being placed two feet or more apart. The mattress as thus far constructed is taken to the sewing machine and the edge of the outer layer 12a of the boxing and the edge of the lining l6 are connected by the seam or the stitching I8. While any kind of a sewing machine may be used,

. or the mattress sewed by hand if desired, in practice the mattress is preferably taken to a machine having a table and a sewing machine mounted thereon which travels about the mattress. The seam i8 can thus be very rapidly made. Obviously instead of sewing said edges together they could be fastened together with pins or clips placed close together.

The mattress is now turned over to rest on the lining I6 and padding l9 similar to the padding I8 is placed on the other side of the spring unit. Another layer of lining 20 is placed over the padding l8 and the edge of this lining is clipped at spaced points to the other edge of the boxing layer |2a as shown in Fig. 2. The mattress is now again taken to the sewing machine and the edges of lining 20 and the edge of the boxing layer |2d sewed together by the seam 2|. If desired the padding l5 and the padding I8 may be placed on opposite sides of the spring unit and both lining layers i6 and 20 placed in position and clipped by the clips l'l before the seams I8 and 2| are put in.

With the mattress in the condition described, stitches or ties are now inserted to form an edge roll. While any instrument or machine can be used to do this, one way in which it has been done is by the use of a long sewing needle 22. This needle is 'passed through the mattress substantially in the position shown in Fig. 3 with a sewing thread or cord 28 threaded therein or placed through the eye thereof. The needle is pushed through the mattress from the boxing side and passes through the lining layers i8 and 28. The needle is passed through until the eye thereof and the thread therein is some distance inside of the boxing and disposed in the packing or stuffing l5 and l9. The needle is then moved slightly laterally and again passed out through the boxing. Ties or stitches 24 are thus formed and these extend through the boxing and catch some of the padding which is pulled down close to the inner side of the boxing. The stitches or ties 24 are preferably made in line vertically with the eyelets l3. The stitches or ties 24 cause the rolls |2d to be pulled inwardly so that they engage and overlie the corner of the spring unit. These ties 24 thus act to form firm edge rolls on the mattress. While the mattress is shown with the thickened or folded over portions |2d at the top and bottom of the boxing, it is apparent that an edge roll effect would be produced with a-boxing without this extra thickness. The ties or stitches 24 pull the outer layer l2a. inward so that it is substantially in a vertical plane with the outer ends of the eyelets l8. A desirable stiff and substantially vertical side wall is produced on the mattress, giving a pleasing appearance and insuring that the mattress will be retained in proper shape. While the stitches 24 are shown as engaging and holding quite a little of the filling or padding 5 and I8, it is apparent that much the same effect would be produced if the stitches 24 were taken only through the boxing and no appreciable amount of the padding caught in the stitches.

After the stitches 24 have been inserted all around the mattress, the seams I8 and 2|, or

other fastening means used are opened or removed and the lining layers I8 and 28 removed. A top cover 25 of the mattress and the corresponding bottom cover are placed over the pad.- ding portions |I and I8 and then sewed to the edge of the outer layer |2a of the boxing by the seam or stitching 28, a tape 21 preferably being folded over the edges through which said stitches also pass By removing the lining layers l6 and they may be repeatedly used in the intermediate operations of making the mattress. These layers, however, do not necessarily have to be removed and if made of light and cheap material the outer covers may be placed thereover and sewed to the layer |2 of the boxing. I

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a simple, eflicient and economical way of constructing a mattress. The edge rolls are of' definite form and effectively placed in the mattress and yet they are contained on the inside of the outer covers. The edge rolls overlie the corners of the spring unit and thus tend to swing outwardly, thus tensioning the outer layers of the mattress and holding the same in desirable form. At the same time the stitches 24 maintain the substantially vertical wall on the boxing and give it a rigid effect. As stated the stitches 24 are preferably alined with the eyelets l8 as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, thus giving a. neat and finished appearance to the mattress. The cover 25 is not pierced inside of seam 28.

In Fig. 6, a slightly different form of boxing is shown in which stitches 28 are used instead of the eyelets l8. The outer layer 880. is provided similar to layer |2a and is caught by all of the stitches 28. An inner layer is provided overlying the filling 88c and the filling and inner layer 88b are folded at the ends and caught by the stitches 28. This forms rolls 88d at the ends and when the boxing is placed about a spring unit 8| and secured thereto by stitches 32, the rolls 8811 will overlie the corners of the spring unit. The boxing 88 illustrates that either stitching or eyelets can be used in the mattress shown and described. In the boxing shown in Fig. 6 the central stitches 28a. are the equivalent of the eyelets |8 in Figs. 1 to 5. The stitches 28 adjacent the end rolls 88d are in a sense the equivalent of the stitches 24. When the boxing 88 has been positioned as shown in Fig. 6, the padding or filling 88 is placed on the spring unit 8| and the outer covers 34 can then be placed over the padding and sewed directly to the outer layer 880. of the boxing. A tape preferably is folded over the edges of sheets 80a. and 34. A mattress is thus formed in which there are no stitches in the outer layers or covers 84 inside of its edge seam and the outer covers are not pierced at any time by a sewing needle.or other instrument. At the same time an edge roll is provided formed by the portions 80d which is disposed within the outer cover. A very shapely mattress is thus produced and it is produced with very little labor, there being very few steps in its production. It will be understood that the stitches cr seams 28 and 28a in the boxing are madeon the sewing machine before the boxing is placed about the spring unit.

From the above description it will be seen that applicant has provided a simple and eflicient mattress, one that has an effective edge roll at its comers and which edge roll is disposed within the outer cover.

The outer cover as above 7 2,105,824 stated is not pierced by "any needle or instruserved. As stated, the lining sheets used in the intermediate steps of the method can be removed and used repeatedly with difierent mattresses. The mattress has been'amply demonstrated in actual practice, has been found to be very successful and efiicient and is being commercially made.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the device and in the steps and sequence of steps of the method of making the same without departing from the scope of applicant's invention, which, generally stated,- consists in a method and product capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, such as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:--

1. A boxing for a mattress comprising an outer layer of fabric, an inner layer of fabric, afilling between said layers, said inner layer being folded at its sides toward said outer layer to enclose said filling, said filling having an enlarged portion at its sides adapted to form an edge roll and fastening means extending through said layers and filling.

2. A boxing for a mattress comprising an outer layer of fabric, an inner layer of fabric, a filling between said layers, said inner layer being folded at its sides toward and into contact with said outer layer to enclose said filling, fastening means extending through said layers and filling at the central portion of said boxing and fastening means spaced at either side of said last mentioned fastening means extending through said inner and outer layers and filling and also through the folded over portion of said inner layer.

3. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit, padding overlying said unit, a boxing surrounding said unit at the sides thereof comprising an outer layer of fabric and a layer of filling,

said latter layer having an enlarged portion at its side, an outer cover for said mattress permanently sewed-to the edge of said outer layer of said boxing, stitches independent of said outer cover engaging said enlarged portion of said filling and a portion of said mattress inwardly thereof and securing and pulling said enlarged portion inwardly about the corners of said spring unit to form an edge roll, said edge roll thus being held in position independently of said outer cover and an outer cover at the other side of said spring unit having its edge sewed to the edge of said outer layer of said boxing said outer layer of fabric of said boxing in the finished mattress being disposed in a substantially vertical plane between said outer covers and the outer side of said enlarged portion being disposed substantially in said plane.

4. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit, padding overlying said unit, a boxing extending about the sides of said unit and having an outer layer of fabric, an inner layer of fabric and a filling between said layers, said filling extending to each side of said boxing and being folded to form an enlarged portion at each side of said boxing, said enlarged portions being at the outer side of the edges ofsaid padding, an outer cover at each side of said mattress, said covers having their edges respectively secured to the edges of said outer layer of said boxing and being unpierced within said outer edges, said filling in said boxing being disposed in a substantially vertical plane and means independent of said outer covers engaging said enlarged portions of said filling and pulling and disposing the same inwardly about said spring unit, said enlarged portions forming edge rolls for said mattress.

5. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit, padding overlying said unit, a boxing extending about the sides of said unit and having an outer layer of fabric, aninner layer of fabric, a filling between said layers, said inner layer being folded towards said outer layer to enclose said filling, said filling having enlarged portions at the sides thereof, means for securing and drawing said enlarged portion inwardly about the corners of said spring unit to form edge rolls and outer covers for said mattress having their edges secured to the edges of said outer layer of said boxing.

6. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit, padding overlying said unit, a boxing surrounding said unit at the sides thereof comprising an outer layer of fabric, an-inner layer of fabric, a filling between said layers having an enlarged portion at its side, said inner layer of fabric being folded toward said outer layer to enclose said enlarged portion, an outer cover for said mattress permanently sewed at its edge to the edge of said outer layer of said boxing, means independent of said outer cover engaging said enlarged portion of said filling for holding the same inwardly about the corners of said spring unit to form an edge roll, said outer cover thus being unpierced inwardly of its connection to said outer layer of said boxing and an outer cover at the other side of said spring unit permanently sewed at its edge to the other edge of said outer layer of said boxing.

7. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit, padding overlying said unit at the top and bottom thereof, a boxing extending about the sides of said unit comprising an outer layer of fabric forming the outer side of the finished mattress, an inner lining layer, filling between said outer layer and inner lining layer, said filling being reversely folded at its sides to form enlarged portions, said lining layer being folded toward said outer layer to enclose said enlarged portion, fastening means extending through said outer layer, lining layer and filling between said enlarged portions, outer covers for said mattress overlying said padding at either side thereof having their edges permanently connected to the edges of said outer layer of said boxing, and

means engaging said enlarged portions but not said outer covers for holding said enlarged portions inwardly over the corners of said spring unit to form edge rolls, whereby said outer covers are not pierced inwardly of their connection to said outer layer of said boxing.

8. The method ofmaking a mattress which consists in providing a boxing having an outer layer of fabric and a layer offilling, placing said boxing around the sides of a spring unit, placing padding on said unit, placing a lining sheet over said padding, securing the edge of said lining sheet to the edge of said outer layer of said boxing to hold said parts in proper relation, stitching through said boxing and the filling thereof at its outer portion to draw said filling inwardly over the corner of said spring unit to form an edge roll, limiting said stitching so that the stitches do not pass through said lining sheet, removing said lining sheet, then placing a top covering on said mattress and stitching the same to the outer layer of said boxing, placing a bottom cover on the other side of said unit and securing its edge to the other edge of said outer layer of said boxing.

9. The method of making a mattress which consists in providing a spring unit, forming a boxing having an outer layer of fabric, an inner layer of fabric and a layer of filling between said fouter and inner layers, placing said boxing around the sides of said unit, placing a layer of padding on said unit, placing a lining sheet over said padding, securing the edge of said lining sheet to the edge of said outer layer of said boxing at spaced intervals thereabout, stitching through said boxing adjacent the side thereof to draw the same inwardly over the corners of said unit to form an edge roll, limiting said stitching so that it does not pass through said lining sheet, removing said lining sheet, placing a top cover over said padding and permanently stitching the same to the edge of said outer layer of said boxing, whereby said top cover is not pierced inwardly of its connection to said outer layer of said boxing, placing a cover on the other side of said spring unit and connecting the same to the other edge of said outer layer of said boxing.

10. The method of.maklng a mattress which consists in providing a spring unit, forming a boxing having inner and outer layers of fabric with a filling therebetween, said filling having an enlarged portion at its side, placing padding on said unit, placing a lining sheet over said padding, connecting the edge of said lining sheet to the edge of said outer layer of said boxing at spaced intervals thereabout, inserting ties to engage said enlarged portion of said boxing and engaging said padding to draw said enlarged portion inwardly around the corners of said unit to form an edge roll, limiting said ties so they do not pass through said lining sheet, removing said lining sheet, placing a top cover on said padding and permanently stitching the edge of the same to the edge of the outer layer of said boxing, whereby said outer cover is not pierced inwardly of its connection to the outer layer of said boxing, placing a cover on the other side of said spring unit and connecting the same at its edges to the other edge of said outer layer of said boxing.

11. A boxing for a mattress comprising an outer layer of fabric, an inner layer of fabric, a

filling between said layers, means extending through said layers and filling adjacent the central part of said boxing securing said layers and filling together, said filling being reversely folded at its sides to form enlarged portions, said inner layer being folded toward said outer layer to lie along the inner side thereof and enclose said enlarged portion and securing means extending through said outer layer, said folded over portion of said inner layer, said filling and said inner layer to hold said parts together.

12. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit having a cover thereon, a boxing extending about the sides of said unit comprising inner and outer layers of fabric, a filling between said layers, said filling having an enlarged portion at its sides, the outer side of said filling including said enlarged portion being disposed in one substantially vertical plane, a layer of padding at each side of said spring unit, means extending through said boxing to hold said enlarged portions thereof inwardly about the corners of said spring unit to form edge rolls, outer covers for said mattress of said" boxing, said last mentioned means being independent and separate from said outer covers, whereby said outer covers are not pierced inwardly of their connection to the outer layers of said boxing.

13. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit, padding overlying said unit, a boxing surrounding said unit at the sides thereof comprising an outer layer of fabric and a layer of fill ing at the inner side thereof, said layer of filling having an enlarged portion at its side, an outer cover for said mattress permanently sewed to the edge of said outer layer of fabric of said boxing, stitches independent of said outer cover engaging said enlarged portion of said filling anchored in said padding, securing and pulling said enlarged portion inwardly about the corners of said spring unit to form an edge roll and an outer cover at the other side of said spring unit having itscdge sewed to the edge of said outer layer of said boxing.

14. A boxing for a mattress comprising an outer layer of fabric, an inner layer of fabric and a filling layer of padding material between said layers, said layer of filling being continuous and folded to form an enlarged portion at its sides and between said inner and outer layers of fabric and fastening means extending through said layers of fabric and filling.

15. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit, padding overlying said unit, a boxing surrounding said unlt at the sides thereof comprising an outer layer of fabric and a layer of filling, said latter layer having an enlarged portion at its side, the outer portion of said filling all being substantially in the same vertical plane,

an outer cover for said mattress permanently sewed to the edge of said outer layer of said box ing, means independent of said cover engaging said enlarged portion of said filling pulling the same inwardly and securing the same in position about the corners of said spring unit to form an edge roll and an outer cover at the other side of said spring unit having its edge secured to the edge of said outer layer of said boxing, said outer layer of said boxing in the finished mattress being ina substantially vertical plane between said outer covers.

16. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit, padding overlying said spring unit at top and bottom, a boxing surrounding the sides of said spring unit comprising an outer layer of fabric and a layer of filling within said outer layer, said layer of filling having enlarged portions at its top and bottomand said layer of filling at its outer portion being substantially in one vertical plane, outer covers for said mattress overlying said padding respectively at the top and bottom thereof and having their edges permanently secured respectively to the edges of said outer layer of fabric of said boxing and means engaging said enlarged portions of said filling pulling the same inwardly over said spring unit, said enlarged portions forming edge rolls and said outer covers being unpierced inwardly of their line of connection to said outer layers of said boxing.

17. A mattress having in combination, a spring unit of box-like form including a cover, a boxing extending about the sides of said unit comprising inner and outer layers of fabric and a continuous layer of filling between said layers of fabric, said filling being folded to form an enlarged portion at the sides of said boxing between said layers of fabric, the outer side of said mosses boxing being disposed suiosientieiiy in one ver ticai plane, means extending through said iey= ers of fabric and filling securing the same W gether, a layer of padding at each side of said spring unit, stitches extending through said in-= ner layer of fabric at said enlarged portion of said boxing and through the cover of said spring unit adjacent the corner of said unit for holding said hoxi in siiaion, seid emerged. poi'iio he mg disposed over the corners of said unit and forming ee rolls in said mattress, outer soarers for said mettress overlying said it dine and edge rolls and having their edges permentiv secured to the layer of fabric.

V respectively of seid mites 

